Child&#39;s vehicle



Seapt 7 ,1926. 1,598,788 J. B. SINDERSON CHILDS VEHICLE Filed Nov. 12 1925 Patentd Sept. 7, 1926.

ara-

, JOHN B. SINDERSON, OFROCKFORD, ILLNOIS.

CHILDS Application, filed November :This invention relates to ohildrens velucles.

, -The principal objeet ofthe invention is to.

, provide animproved vehicle of the coaster 5 or; scootertype, WllCh is capable o propul --sionin a novel ashion by a lateral oscillating; motion of the steering handle.

Another: object is the provision 'of im- V proved running gear on a vehicle of:the kind 10 described Whiclr enaolesthe continuons transmission of-motive power to. the rear :vvheels.

Theinvention is fully:described in the 4 course of the followingspecifieation in which 5 referen is: made to the aeoompanying draxv A ing, wherein Figure 1 is. a side view of a childs vehiele .embodying the present invention, one of the =two rein: wheels beinp; removed more clearlv:

20 to disolose the rnnning gear;

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of the running p;ear :Wich parts in seetion-taken on the line 22 u of.Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is afront view of the running gear with a portion appearing in vertical section on the line 330f 1.

J 'Thtsame reference nnmerals apply to cor respondingpafisim the three views.

' The vehicle towhich my improvements are appliedcomprises a foot platform 5 supported by springs 6 on a pair of rear wheels zpreferably relatively small in eomparison to the rear wheels, operas ina :lork 9 pro vided at the base of a steering colnmn or handle 10. The latter may be provided With a cross bar 11 at its upper end for convenience in steering while standing on the plat form 5. B v means of the noveli featnres uhereinafter described the vehicle is arranged -to be driven by a lateral osoillacing motion oi the liandle 10.

The steeringhandle is pivoted preferof the knuokle 13 and swivel pin 14. 'The bracket 12 is monnted for rotative oscillation relative to a fixed bracket 15 secured on the nnder side of theplatform 5} The bracket 50 15 provides a fiat -front vertical bearingface l6against;whih axpad 17-on thebracket 12 isarrangedto :loear. A stub shat "18 suit ably fixed. ras :by means ot a pin "19," in the bracket 12,iS reeeived in abearing20 in the 55 bracket 215 and held agaisbmov&amemt ont- 1 -of th bearimg suitably :loy means of a. cotter A single front steering wheel 8, which is -alolv in an inclined relation to the platform 5 on a braeket 12 through the intermediary VEHICLE.

12, 1925. Serial No. 68,515.

pin 21. The bracket 12 constitns a yoke having laterally extending arms 22 extending into the forked ends 23 of bell crank levers 24 pivoted on stnds 25 projectingfi*om the opposite sides.of the braoket 15. The fo1ked ends 23 of the levers 24 are relatively short ascompa1ed with the deptanding. arms 26 thereof. Thelatter are forked at their lower extremities and are,pivoted as indicated at 27 to rods 28, extendinganarwardly tovvard the wheels 7. From the description thus far it Will appear that lateral oscillation of the steering h&indle.l0 produbesoscillationforwardly and rearwardlv :0lthe bell ;crank levers 24 which in turn transmit reeiprocat0ry movement.to the rods 28. It Will appear that .when the one rod 28 is on its .orWard stroke, the-.other -rod on the ,other side istraveling rearwardly. Thus,

, when one rod is,transmitting powerdor the ClllVlhf of the rear. wheels 7,the other r0d is on its idle stroke and vice versa. This results in a continuous transmission of motive power for driving thevehde.

' The rods .28 are each provided with a ratchot raek29 at the rearward ends thereof. 'The rack 29110rmallyTests.pon and .operates a ratchet wheel 30 fiXed;on a transverse ,j ack shaft 31 arranged in front 01: and parallcl with the reanaxle. ShLft 32. The shafts 31 and 32 are received in bearings 33 and 34, respeetively, provided snitaoly in the form of blockssecured to the supporting springs 6. In driving the shaft 31, eaoh of the ratohet wheels 30 drives a spur gear 35 fixed on the shaft or made incegrtl With the :ratchet wheel. .Eaeh ofthe gears 35 meshes with a smaller gear 36 fixed on the rear axle shaft 32. Manifesfly, a rearward stroke of either =of the rods 28 eommunioat9s;councerclookvvise rotation to the shaft 31 as seen in Fig. 1. This. rotation, through the medium of the gears 35 and 36, resnlts in clockwise rotationof: the rearaxle sha:ft 32 and with it one :of the rear Wheels 7 ;WhiCh is fixed thereon to serveas a drivingwvheeli On the returnoridle:stmkes of-the rods. 28, the ratch ets 29-overrun the ratchet vvheels 30 and, as

:explained above, ivhile the one rod is'traveling on itsidle strok,the Other ro-disin the course of its. powen Stroke ISO" chat the rods alternatelvperforma drivingfuimtion to give eontinuos transmission of motive pow- (or for drivihg thevchiele The rnnni1fg gear is :steDped up- .betwe n thesteering handle andthe :rearadniving. veheel-to such 'an -eX- tent that an easy lateral oscillating motion of the steering handle is sufficient to.propel the vehicle at a fairly good rate of speed. If desired, means may be provided to limit the extent of lateral oscillation.

The vehicle gives the child a novel and healthful form of exercise and enjoyment combined. The propulsion of the vehicle with a lateral movement of the steering handle requires a swaying trunk movement of the body and the rider travels in a way resembling skating as lie sweps fro1n side to side on his course. lVhere a grade is en countered the vehicle Wlll serve as a coaster since the ratchet driving gear is capable of overrunnng. The use of the vehicle, it Wlll be seen, does not require propulsion by the foot as the ordinary scooter or coaster and therefore saves wear and tear on the childs shoes.

I daim: 1. In a vehicle of the character described,

' a rear driving wheel, an operating handle, and means operated by lateral osc1llatmg motion of said handle for transmitting propulsion to said rear Wheel.

2. In a vehicle of the characcer described, a rear driving wheel, a reciprocating rod for driving the same extending forwardly there from, a forWardly and rearwardly oscillating lever connected thercwith for operating the same, an operating handle having lateral oscillating motion, and transmission between said handle and said lever for oscillating the latter in the oscillation of the former.

3. In a vehicle of the character described, a pair of rear wheels, a pair of reciprocating rocls for driving the same extending forwardly therefrom, an operating handle, a yoke oscillated laterally by oscillation of said handle, and a pair of bell crank levers havingoperating connections with said rods and also having operating connections with said yoke, the last mentioned connections causing forWard and rearward oscillation of said bell crank levers in the lateral oscillation of said yoke.

4. In a vehicle of the charactcr described, a pair of rear wheels, a pair of reciproeacing rods for driving the same extending for+ wardly therefrom, an operating handle, a yoke oscillated laterally by oscillation of saidhandle, and a pair of bel1 crank levers having operating Connections with said rods and also having operating connections with said yoke, the last mentioned connections causing forward and rearwrd oscillation of said bell crank levers in the lateral oscillation of said yoke wherelowhen one rod is wardly therefrom, a pair of bel1 crank levers having operating connections with said rods, a yoke arranged for lateral oscillating motion between said bell crank levers and having operating connections with the latter to transmit forward and rearward oscillating motion thereto, a front steering wheel, and a steering column carrying the same and pivotally mounted on said yoke arranged to be given lateral oscillating motion to oscillace said yoke.

6. In a vehicle of the characr described, the combination of a foot platform, a pair of rear wheels supporting the same, abracket fixed at the forward end of said platform providing a fiat front substantially vertical bearing face, a relatively movable braoket having a complementary bearing face and having laterally projecting driving portions, a pivotal connection between the brackets providing for lateral oscillation of said movable bracket, a steering column carryng a front steering wheel and pivotally mounted on said movable bracket rranged to trams- 7. In a vehicle of the character described,.

a driving wheel, a pair of ratchet wheels for turning the same continuously in one direction, a pair of ratchet racks operatimg back and forth on said ratchet wheels, and means for simultaneomsly; and alternately advanoing one rack whil retarding the other on the power and idle strokes whereby to communicate a continuous driving effort to said driving wheel.

8. In a vehicle of the charaoter described, a driving Wheel, a pair of gears for driving said wheel continuously in one direction, a

pair of racks for driving said gears, and means for s1multaneouslv and alternately communicating a push to one rack and a pull on the other in thcir power and idle strokes.

9. In a vehicle of the characr described, a pair of wheels, a driven shaft having said wheels thereon and connected with one of the same for driving prpos'es, a relatively sma1lgear fixed on said shaft, a driving shaft parallel With said driven shaft, a relatively large gear fixed on said driving shaft meshing Withsad first mentioncd goal, a":pair of relatively sma1l ratchet wheels fixed on said driving shaft, a pair of ratchet racks resting and operating on said ratchetwheels, and mcans foralternately pushing and pulling on said racks for driving s'aid wheels 10. In a vehicle of the charcter desairbed,

a pair of rear wheels, a pair of rods extend ing rearwardly toward said wheels, a handle operated in a lateral reciprocatory movement arranged to transmit pnsh and pull movements alternately to said rods for continuously driving said wheels, and power transmission means between said rods and said wheels 11. In a vehicle of the character described, a frame, a rear driving wheel thereon, a steering handle pivoted to said frame for 1ateral oscillating motion relative thereto, said steering handle having a steering wheel mounted on the lower and thereof and being arranged to turn on an upright axis t0 steer the vehicle, and means operated by the lat e1a1 oscillating motion of said steering handle for trahsmitcing propulsion to said rear Wheel. V

In witness of the foregoing I affix my signature.

JOHN B. SINDERSON. 

